A wealthy businessman in Hong Kong had spent the best years of his life building his mammoth textile business. One day, he was told that he was dying from an incurable disease.…
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The house we build
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the job and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He…
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A 10-cent idea
Here is an interesting anecdote about an entrepreneur who built his fortunes by boldly pursuing an innovative idea. When young FW Woolworth was a store clerk, he tried to convince his boss…
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You’ll get exactly what you expect
I remember a young lady who went to work for a company immediately after graduating from college. She seemed extremely talented but unbelievably timid. She was assigned to a division-level marketing department…
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A teacher’s influence
A woman attended her 20-year high school reunion. There she encountered her freshman year art teacher. She told him that she decided to go to college as a result of his inspiration,…
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The farmer’s horse
There is a story of a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, the neighbours gathered to commiserate with him since this was such bad luck. He said, “May be.” The next…
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Unpolished diamond
How a person reacts to criticism often means the difference between success and failure. Take the case of Ole Bull, the famous Norwegian violinist of the past century. His practical father, a…
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Sitting on your talent
There was a man who played piano in a bar. He was a good piano player. People came out just to hear him play. But one night, a patron told him he…
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Sharpen your axe
Once upon a time, a well-built woodcutter asked for a job in a timber depot, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that…
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The trouble tree
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tyre made him lose an hour of work, his…